ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · track · bulb · plane · season · leaves · squash · stand

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. season — of the year
  10. track — a path
  11. squash — to crush
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. track — a song
  16. bulb — for light
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stand — to bear
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. season — in sport
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com